Relax while Boosting Your Immune System
FALL 2016
The Benefits of Lymphatic Massage
Fuel Wellness with a Healthy Lymph System
Cathy Ulrich
Six months after hip replacement
surgery, Larry was learning to walk again
and life was returning to normal. But
one thing still puzzled him. When he
stood for any length of time, his left
ankle would swell, and when the
inflammation was at its worst, his right
ankle would also swell.
"I can understand why my left leg is
swollen," he says. "But why would my
right leg swell? I didn't have surgery
there. And why am I getting swelling six
months after the surgery? Shouldn't it
be better by now?" The answer is that
although Larry's surgery had occurred
on the opposite side, the right leg would
swell when the inflammation became too
much for the left side to handle.
from the tissues, but few understand
there is another equally vital system of
vessels that removes cell wastes, proteins,
excess fluid, viruses, and bacteria. The
lymph system picks up fluids and waste
products from the spaces between the
cells and then filters and cleans them.
Like the roots of a tree, the lymph
system starts as tiny vessels--only a
single-cell wide--that eventually branch
into larger and larger tubes that carry
these fluids back to the blood stream.
This network of delicate vessels and
lymph nodes is the primary structure of
the immune system. The lymph nodes
act as check points along the pathways of
the vessels. They filter the fluid (called
lymph) and serve as the home for
Be happy for
this moment.
This moment is
your life.
-- Omar Khayyam
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Athletes, post-op patients, and those feeling over-tired can benefit from lymphatic massage.
In this Issue
Fortunately, lymphatic massage can help
address Larry's problems. This special
type of bodywork, while very gentle and
seemingly superficial, helps to restore
function to the lymph system and
balance the body.
The Benefits of Lymphatic Massage
Facial Massage for Lymphatic Drainage
Boost Your Immune System
The Lymph System
Most people are familiar with the body's
vessel system that carries blood to and
lymphocytes--little Pac Man-like cells
that attack and destroy foreign bacteria
and viruses and even abnormal cells, like
cancer cells.
When the lymph system works well, we
feel healthy and have a strong defense
against illness. When it's sluggish or
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blocked--say after surgery or an
injury--we can have swelling, feel tired,
and be more susceptible to colds and
infections.
Lymphatic Massage
A customized form of bodywork,
lymphatic massage may help the lymph
system do its job better. By
understanding the anatomy and
function of this delicate system, your
massage therapist can assist your body in
clearing sluggish tissues of waste and
swelling.
Though lymph vessels are found
throughout the body, most of
them--about 70 percent--are located
just below the skin. These fragile vessels
work to pick up fluids between the cell
spaces when gentle pressure is applied to
them from increased fluid build-up,
muscle contractions, or the pressure of a
therapist's hands. By using very light
pressures in a rhythmic, circular
motion, a massage therapist can
stimulate the lymph system to work more
efficiently and help it move the lymph
fluids back to the heart.
the lymph vessels and surrounding
structures. Lymphatic massage is often
the treatment of choice, because it helps
the body remove proteins and waste
products from the affected area and
reduce the swelling. This helps reduce
pressure on cells and allows them to
reproduce faster to heal the body.
Surgical procedures involving lymph
node removal--such as breast cancer
surgery--can cause limbs to swell. Severe
limb swelling needs the attention of a
medical team, but in milder cases,
lymphatic massage alone may be enough
to prevent or even treat the swelling. It's
important that your doctor be involved
in your care. Let your doctor know
you'd like to see a massage therapist and
make sure you have medical approval.
Lymph massage can also be part of a care
program for fibromyalgia or chronic
fatigue syndrome. Because it's so gentle,
it is well tolerated by these patients, who
are often experiencing sore trigger
points throughout the body. And by
encouraging lymph flow and removing
waste products, this gentle form of
bodywork can help restore immune
function and improve vitality.
Estheticians are trained in a very specific
form of lymphatic massage. When you
get a facial, your esthetician will gently
massage your face to help improve
lymph flow. When lymph is moving
freely in the face, you'll have clearer,
healthier skin without a buildup of
toxins and fluids.
So, if you're feeling a bit sluggish,
experiencing mild to moderate swelling,
recovering from a sports injury, or
interested in optimizing your lymph
system for stronger immunity, ask your
massage therapist about lymphatic
massage. It can have a powerful impact
Furthermore, by freeing vessel pathways,
lymphatic massage can help retrain the
lymph system to work better for more
long-term health benefits.
Massage therapists versed in lymphatic
drainage therapy, an advanced form of
lymphatic massage, can identify the
rhythm, direction, and quality of the
lymphatic flow and remap drainage
pathways.
Who Should Get It?
Lymph massage can benefit just about
everyone. If you're feeling tired and low
on energy, or if you've been sick and
feeling like your body is fighting to get
back on track, lymph massage would
likely serve you well.
In addition, athletes, surgical patients,
fibromyaliga and chronic fatigue
sufferers, as well as those wanting a fresh
look may want to consider lymphatic
massage. Here's why.
After a sports injury or surgery, lymph
vessels can become overwhelmed with
the demand placed on them. When
tissues are swollen, deep tissue
techniques may actually cause damage to
Lymphatic massage can help increase immunity and get you back on your feet after an illness.
Facial Massage for Lymphatic Drainage
Natalia Doran
A well-performed facial massage will
help relieve puffiness and improve skin
tone and complexion. Other physical
benefits include stimulation of the skin's
immune mechanisms, firming of weak
muscles, tissue regeneration, and
antiaging effects. Mental benefits
include stress relief and a greater
awareness
of
the
body-mind
connection. And applying pressure and
movement through massage can help to
normalize the function and composition
of the connective tissue, and free it of
harmful substances.
Lymphatic Massage
The body's lymphatic system drains away
the debris from our cells. It transports
water out of the tissue, along with waste
substances: bacteria, cell fragments,
immobile cells, inorganic substances,
large molecular fats, proteins, and
viruses. This process is constantly
happening all over the body. With
massage, the lymph system can move up
to 10 times more fluid than it normally
does.
Manual lymph drainage (MLD), which
was developed by Emil Vodder, PhD, is a
type of gentle massage that accelerates
the natural circulation of the lymph and
encourages its movement away from
swollen areas. MLD is firm, but gentler
than ordinary massage. Because the
lymph vessels are all interlinked, lymph
flow will be affected in the entire region
of the area being massaged. Other types
of lymphatic massage include lymph
drainage therapy, developed by Bruno
Chikly, MD.
A facial massage that involves lymphatic
work improves circulation to the skin,
which increases nutrition to the skin
cells and speeds up the filtering of water
in and out of cells. The vasodilation of
the surface capillaries during massage
improves skin color, and facial massage
also improves elasticity and suppleness
of the skin. With facial massage, the skin
becomes more balanced, less prone to
breakouts, and more resistant to
infection. Massage movements also
influence
muscular
hypertension
through the autonomic nervous system.
Natalia Doran, MD, is the founder and president of
the International Skin Beauty Academy in Illinois.
Facial massage has a host of health benefits.
Boost Your Immune System
Lymphatic Drainage Therapy Fights Infection
Does your immune system work
overtime? If so, you might want to give
it a boost by seeing a massage therapist
or bodyworker trained in lymphatic
drainage therapy. This technique can
boost your immunity by increasing the
production of antibodies, stimulating
circulation, moving congestion out of
the body, and reducing swelling,
especially after surgery.
The lymphatic system supports our
body's immune function and involves
several organs, glands, and tissues,
hundreds of lymph nodes, and a
network of vessels. A clear lymph fluid
flows through these vessels and carries
the metabolic waste (bacteria, dead cells,
fats, fluids, proteins, and viruses) to the
lymph nodes, where it is filtered. These
nodes often swell when we are sick.
The lymphatic drainage techniques used
by massage therapists and bodyworkers
gently stimulate lymph nodes, help
correct swelling and stagnation in those
nodes, reduce local fluid retention,
boost the overall immune system, and
provide relaxation. As an essential tool
in the treatment of lymphedema (excess
lymphatic fluid), this therapy is often
applied postoperatively and can be
especially beneficial for breast cancer
patients.
Administering this treatment requires
advanced training and is performed with
gentle, massage-like strokes. There
should be no discomfort involved; in
fact, you may feel you are hardly being
worked on at all.
Aftercare
After
your
lymphatic
drainage
treatment, it's possible you could feel
some
mild,
flu-like
symptoms,
depending on how much strain your
body has been under prior to treatment.
This strain may be due to environmental
pollutants, medication, and diet. Most
people leave a session simply feeling
relaxed, but if you don't feel at the top
of your game, drink plenty of water,
limit your salt intake, and stay physically
active.
Lymphatic drainage is one way to give
your wellness a boost in a busy world
that makes many demands on your
immune system.
Try to be a
rainbow in
someone's cloud.
-- Maya Angelou
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